Spinda Cafe

[Cresselia92]

Icetales strode down the dirt path, marveling at the unknown panorama surrounding him. Feeling relaxed, he breathed out a few snowflakes from his mouth. The crystals danced merrily in the air, leaving behind blue sparkles of frigid energy, until they evaporated in a thin mist. Ah, what peace!

"Golly! This day is perfect for some good-natured frolicking! If only I could share this moment with someone..." he commented, walking under the shade of an enormous tree. And yet, despite the serene appearance, he knew that the world was in danger. Not only that, but some force had summoned him to help save it. He needed a plan.

"So, first things first, I should locate my fellow heroes. Perhaps they could tell me more about the situation and elucidate their current strategy... if they have any, obviously." He frowned, thinking about his responsibilities and role as a hero. "However, if I want to be of any help, I would need to strengthen my persona, both in spirit and in body. I cannot face a threat without some proper preparation, can I? I only need to figure out where and how I can train..."

But then, something attracted Icetales' attention: incessant chatter and laughters coming from a nearby area. He flicked his ears, trying to pinpoint the source.

"Hm? Where does this come from?"

Following the noises with his sensitive hearing, the Vulpix came across some hole located nearby a crossroads. Wooden stairs led to the depth of the earth, as well as to the origin of the mixed and unknown voices.

Icetales blinked. "Ah! What if I the heroes have their hideout down there? It is imperative of me to check out!"

Without further ado, he climbed down the stairs, and reached what seemed to be some bar of sorts. Some Pokémon were scattered around the room, talking to themselves or simply enjoying a hearty meal. A Spinda stood by the desk at the end of the room, mixing some unknown liquid inside a shaker in his paws, while a Wynaut and a Wobbuffet were giving some tickets to some Pokémon.

"Oh! What a joyful sight! A bar! I could really use a drink!" exclaimed Icetales to himself, his eyes starting to sparkle like gemstones.

Grinning eagerly, he marched toward the desk and found a seat that was low enough for him, before jumping on its top. He perked up at finding a nearby list of all the dishes and drinks, and dragged it toward himself to take a read. "Time to quench my thirst! I shall look for the heroes as soon as I'm done. So, what selection of teas do they offer here...?"

 

[NebulaDreams]

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Curio sat alone on one table, nursing a big cup of Tamato Juice. The spice had a real kick to it; just what she needed to give herself a kick up the bum. It might've just been a placebo effect, but at least she was making an effort.

 

[Chibi Pika]

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Starr hadn't yet gotten a chance to check out the cafe, but she'd heard her teammates buzzing about it recently and figured now was as good a time as any. She descended the steps down into the underground establishment and was just browsing the board that listed their offerings when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.

It was Curio. Sitting alone, and looking absolutely fucking miserable.

Starr bit her tongue. She'd heard vague talk that Curio had been carted out of here, totally plastered yesterday. So the fact that she was back here again a second day... sure was something.

...It really wasn't any of her business. She really didn't know Curio all that well. Still, there was a nagging in the back of her head that told her she'd regret not saying anything. Finally, she gave in and walked over.

"Hey. Somethin' up? You look like shit."

 

[Adamhuarts]

The bar was a friendly sight for sure. Cynthian used to go hang out there with Nora in the Explorers guild whenever he visited Treasure Town for an expedition. Aside from the nostalgia, thoughts about the sparring session kept swirling in his mind.

He should've attacked Cabot with Giga drain during the battle, he should've helped Brisa more, he could've done literally anything than standing around being useless. Cynthian's body trembled while he was seated at a table. He pursed his lips and buried his face in his flowers.

We’re gonna need you.

Those words echoed in his mind again, and some of the trembling stopped. Did Astrid really mean those words? Was it really okay for him to believe in them?

Cynthian squeezed his temples and groaned. All those thoughts weren't really getting him anywhere. Perhaps, he thought, he could use a drink.

"Spinda, can I have a glass of spring water please?"

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave sat at the bar with his third glass of beer, trying his hardest to forget that Maple existed.

So far, he was successful insofar as how on earth he could actually use a glass, on any level, was a more fascinating scientific puzzle than Maple could ever fucking hope to be. He tried to notice what was going on when he picked it up but it just felt like it stuck to his paw when he intended it to. Could he intend something different? He tried just pushing it lightly, and it didn't stick. Fucking amazing. Shouldn't he need human lips, swiveling shoulders, to actually lift it and not pour the drink all over himself? Apparently fucking not! He chuckled to himself, unsure what the shit any of this meant or how it worked. This was great. Why didn't he just stay here for the rest of his life, in the fucking cartooniverse with the god-Smeargle. Maybe if they were all nice little children and said enough prayers to Arceus nobody would die.

 

[Cresselia92]

An half-empty teapot and a plate with a couple of Pecha biscuits were placed in the middle of a table, accompanied by various papers scattered around and filled with notes and jottings of all kinds.

Seated on a wooden stool was Icetales, flipping though the pages of a book while licking some frozen mint tea from a bowl by his side.

“So, as soon as thou can reach into the opponent’s psyche, lock the memory carefully, and…”

He pushed the book aside and moved His leftmost tail on top of a paper, before scribbling down some notes.

“Our lost comrades are both felines. Hm. Perhaps I should look for something close to sushi or other fish-based dishes, but…”

He redirected his gaze to the book.

“As soon as the memory is locked, keep taunting the target. In this way the effect should last…”

And again, he looked at the note.

“Will I have the time required to bring some fireworks? Do fireworks even exist here? I suppose I could inquire about that with the local Fire-types, and…”

The Vulpix kept going back and forth between the book and the notes. Preparing a rigorous training program and a lovely ‘welcome back’ party were his top priorities and he had no time. Luckily for him, he was a master of the so called multitasking.

“…And once I’m reassured to have locked the Shinx’s memories into Charm, then I can fire an Oran Soda and tray of cupcakes, and…” Icetales paused. “Wait! Huh?! What did I…?”

…Or so he thought, until now.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa entered the cafe ravenous for food after three days of surviving on scraps in a dark pit with Starr. She arrived with Curio and Starr in tow, half expecting more posse members to turn up at any moment, and she was so hungry she could hardly think. Anything would do. Literally any food at all.

"Bartender, forgive my rudeness," she told Spinda at the bar, "but my friend and I have been without food for some days and we're expectin' company. Please just serve us somethin' to eat with all haste, and keep it comin', could ya?"

She took a seat at the closest free table to the bar and snatched a third stool from nearby so both her companions could sit with her.

 

[Negrek]

There was exactly one good thing about this shitty world, and that was that they actually had alcohol here. Okay, the fact that somebody else was picking up the tab was pretty non-shitty as well, but Nate really wasn't in the mood to be generous. One way or another, there was actually fucking booze for when you needed it, and God did he need a fucking drink right about now. Or maybe a dozen fucking drinks.

Rocky was on the bar next to him, quivering and rattling and drawing the eye of the spinda barkeeper. Nate scowled at the spinda's sidelong, and not very fucking subtle glance. Fucker seemed to think it was a bit weird for Nate to have a shaking stone with him, and even weirder that he'd put out a dish of berries for it, but fuck him. Nate wished there was somewhere else within staggering distance of Maple's portal that served booze that he could take his fucking slug to, but there wasn't, so here they both fucking were. At least the fucker kept the drinks coming.

Nate doubted Rocky was about to pop out and grab any of the berries. Probably for the best, since if Spinda caught sight of him he'd really lose his shit. Nate didn't have to reach over and touch the stone to know that the shade inside was agitated, turning and turning inside the lump, making it dance slowly across the bar. He wished he knew some way to calm Rocky down. Maybe if he poured some booze on the rock, it would soak in, kind of? Would that help, or only scare the shade worse? Nate watched the rock fidget, glum. You couldn't blame the little guy for freaking out. Anybody would be fucking freaked out after--

Okay, one more good thing: Nate got to literally drink like a fish. Because he was a fish. All the fucking time. Ha.

Look at that. The world was just full of fucking beautiful things. What a great day to be alive and winning and all that shit. Nate tossed back the rest of his drink and yelled at the spinda for another.

 

[Phoenixsong]

It had taken Skara longer than she'd anticipated to pack up the last of her belongings for Destiny Village proper. She hadn't realized that she'd accumulated so many loose notes, for one thing; hopefully she could pick up a proper notebook at her destination. (She preferred not to think about how long she'd spent rooting around in the bedding for her missing everstone before remembering that she hadn't been able to bring it to Cibus in the first place. Hopefully Destiny Village had some of those, too.)

Collating notes and not forgetting about everstones was thirsty work, apparently, and so before stepping into the portal for the last time the grubbin made her way into town for a quick berry blend at the café. The constant syncopated tink, tink, t-tink, tink-tink, of Limax bopping away in its stone and bumping against the jar kept her company as she went. Hm. Limax had seemed partial to the wepear juice someone had accidentally splashed on it the last time she'd been here—assuming she'd interpreted its wobbling and the fuzzy sensation in her head correctly—so maybe she could try ordering some of that for it while she was here. Still no telling what its counterpart in jar time out wanted, of course. Just as recalcitrant as ever, no matter what got spilled onto it.

Well, whatever. It could sit there and be obstinate and mildly creepy all it liked. Limax was cooperative, at least as long as it wasn't overstimulated, and that would have to do. Skara climbed up onto a stool, set Limax's stone on the table, flagged down a server and ordered wepear juice for Limax and the mago-pecha blend for herself. For now, she'd just enjoy her juice, divert herself by figuring out how best to tackle Limax next, and take it easy. Forget Jar Shade for now, just like anything else that was more stressful than useful to think about. Maybe that Chip person would get something out of studying Jar Shade instead.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz made her way inside Spinda Cafe with her usual, beaming, fanged smile. She'd only visited the cafe briefly one night before, but she'd liked what she'd seen.

"Don't worry about costs," she told Kate, the sneasel newcomer to the posse, "everything's on God Squad's tab, so we can treat ourselves. What's yer poison, partner?"

She cracked her knuckles. Ultra shades couldn't get drunk, what with not having a nervous system, but Kate didn't know that yet, and perhaps she'd be willing to go a few rounds of arm-wrestling, loser takes a shot...

 

[ExplosiveTurkey]

"...Y'know, this place never stops feeling the same," Aria observed, looking around the insides of the 'cafe' with a chuckle in her tone. "Even when it's in a different world."

There was a light limp in her walk, the result of cracked bones from putting in juuust a bit too much effort. They'd heal soon enough, though. And a brief visit to the infirmary had left the staff baffled by her nonchalance, which made it all the more worth it.

"Anyways," she began, glancing at the luxray beside her. Her drawl dripped with dry humor. "I'll be holding you to your word. Drink up till you're spilling your deepest, darkest secrets — you've got me a bit curious by now."